In the 1860 US Federal Census for Franklin Township, Johnson County, Hervey McCaslin (spelled Harvey by the census taker) is a prosperous 57-year-old farmer with real estate worth $7,000 and personal property worth $3,200. In his household are his second wife, Sarah P[rice Carson Jeffery] McCaslin (age 47), his sons by his first wife Mildred, Joseph B (age 21) and George (age 18), his son by Sarah, Hervey (age 7), Sarah's son, James Carson (age 12) and Ellen Jackson, a 16-year-old domestic. Joseph and George are listed as farmers who each have $3,000 worth of real estate and $500 worth of personal property.
In the 1870 US Federal Census for Franklin Ward 1, Johnson County Indiana, Hervey (mistranscribed as Harrey) is a very prosperous retired farmer, with real estate worth $18,000 and personal property worth $3,100. In his household are his wife, Sarah P[rice] (age 58, keeping house), their 16-year-old son, Hervey (spelled correctly by everyone) and 18-year-old Susan Stumet, their "domestic servant." Hervey has attended school in the past year.
Hervey McCaslin married Marcia Evaline Tarlton on 16 Oct 1873, according to the "Family Bible Records of Johnson County, Indiana".
Saturday, December 30, 1876 Paper: Indianapolis Sentinel (Indianapolis, IN) Volume: XXV Issue: 365 Page: 8
ABOUT PEOPLE
Maurice Thompson, Crawfordsville; H.
McCaslin and wife, Franklin; J. M. Dresser,
Lafayette; A. D. Fleming, Brazil; Samuel
Bittinger, Williamsport, are at the Grand [Hotel].
In the 1880 US Federal Census for Franklin, Johnson, Indiana, 26-year-old Hervey McCaslin (transcribed Henry) is a farmer. He, his 26-year-old wife, Eva W Tarleton McCaslin, their daughter 6-year-old Ethel McCaslin and a 30-year-old servant, Annie White live on State Road South.
Franklin Jeffersonian, September 22, 1883,
page 3 column 3
LOCAL BREVITIES
Mrs. Ephriam Jeffery, of this city,
gave her brother Mr. Hervey McCaslin
a party, at her residence on last Mon-
day evening in honor of Mr. Mc-
Caslin's 30th birth day. Among those
present was Jno. Fletcher and wife,
S. A. Wilson and wife and Jno. Car-
son and wife. The evening was spent
very pleasant indeed by all present.
Franklin Daily Herald September 17, 1885, page 8
Mrs. C. B. Tarlton gave a dinner to-
day, at which were present, Hervey
McCaslin and wife, James A. Tarlton
and wife, Mrs. Susie Weightman,
Grandma Tarlton and Miss Kate Tarl-
ton. They each and all had a good
time, and enjoyed themselves well.
[Mrs C. B. Tarlton is Evaline West Tarlton, wife of Caleb and mother of Eva Tarlton McCaslin, who is the wife of Hervey McCaslin. James A Tarlton is Eva's brother.]
The 1890 Johnson County, Indiana Directory lists H G McCaslin as a farmer whose residence is on State Street. He owns three acreages, one of 160 acres, another of 40 acres, and a third of 25 acres. The latter seems to be the "home farm" as that is where his residence is listed.
The Franklin Democrat, Friday, August 25, 1893
While Hervey McCaslin and wife
were seated in the hammock at their
residence south of town last Friday
watching the descent of the para-
chute, they were suddenly dazed by
a terrible commotion back of them.
On turning it was found that the
balloon proper had fallen but a few
feet from them. They forgot to
contratulate the aeronaut on his suc-
cessful leap in congratulating them-
selves on their own escape.
Daily Democrat, Huntinton, Indiana, Monday, February 8, 1897, p. 2
Quick Divorce and Marriage
Franklin, Ind., Feb I.--Hervey G.
McCaslin, who was sued for divorce by
his wife, Mrs. Eva McCaslin, last Mon-
day, the case exciting so much com-
ment on account of the prominence of
the parties, added a fresh chapter to the
story Saturday night by marrying Miss
Esther Murphy, of Nashville, Brown
county. The divorce was granted Tues-
day morning. Miss Murphy is 17 years
of age, and for three years has been a
servant in the McCaslin household.
Columbus (Indiana) Evening Republic, Monday, February 8, 1897, p. 4.
A GIRL IN THE CASE
Harvey McCaslin of Franklin who was sued for divorce by his wife, Mrs. Eva
McCaslin, last Monday, the same exciting so much comment on account of the
prominence of the parties, added a fresh chapter to the story last night by
marrying Miss Esther Murphy at Nashville, Brown County. The divorce was
granted Tuesday morning. Miss Murphy is seventeen years of age and for
three years past has been a domestic in the McCaslin house. Her home was at
Greenwood, Indiana. The marriage is taken as confirmation of the alleged
intimacy between McCaslin and the girl prior to the family trouble and,
though this was not so alleged in the complaint, it is generally credited as
being the true causes of the separation and subsequent divorce. Mr.
McCaslin and his bride will live on the former's big farm just south of
Franklin.
The Franklin Democrat, Friday, February 12, 1897,
Volume XXXVII, Number 31, page 1, column 6
Divorced and Married.
Last week the court records as re-
ported in the Democat showed that
Mrs. Eva McCaslin had been divorced
from her husband, Hervey McCaslin,
with $3,800 alimony. This record was
no sooner made than Hervey set out
for Nashville, Brown county, where a
marriage license was obtained and he
was joined in wedllock to Miss Esther
Murphy, who, for the past three or
four years, had been a servant in the
McCaslin home. They returned to
Franklin, Saturday, and began house-
keeping on the farm south of town.
The air had been full of rumors con-
cerning the domestic troubles which
led to the separation, the cause of
shich was usually assigned to be too
great intimacy on the part of Mr.
McCaslin, with the servant girl. The
Hasty marriage which has followed
lends a color to these remors which
might not have existed had there
been less haste. The new bride is
about eighteen years old. The
sympathy of the community is almost
universally in favor of the elder Mrs.
McCaslin and her accomplished
daughter, expecially since the latest
developments have come to pass.
Logansport Journal, Friday, March 5, 1897, p. 3.
CHURCH TROUBLES
A Daughter Demands a Father's
Expulsion or Withdrawal
Threatended Division of the Congrega-
tion the Result.
FRANKLIN, Ind., March 5.-The
trouble in the Presbyterian church, the
oldest and weathliest in the city, is the
sole topic of conversation. It is caused
by the feeling against Harvey [sic] G.
McCaslin. The church is rent over
the affair, and it looks as though the
result will be serious. Las November
Mr. McCaslin suddenly left his home
and went west. It was stated that
he had separated from his wife, and
this was confirmed when he returned
avout the first of the year and began
planning a division of his estate.
The family is among the most
prominent in the county. the mem-
bers lived in an elegant home just
south of the city, and Mr. McCaslin
owned a fine farm of 250 acres. Mr.
and Mrs. McCaslin had been married
for twenty-three years and one daugh-
ter resulted from the union. Miss
Ethel McCaslin, twenty-two years
old. The latter is a talented musician,
has appeared in concerts in various
cities of the State, where her piano
numbers have been highly prized. The
family apparently was a happy and de-
voted one, and the separation came as
a great surprise. Rumours were pre-
valent that Mrs. McCaslin was jeal-
ous of the attentions of her husband
to Miss Ethel Murphy, seventeen years
old, a domestic employed by the
family. Whatever the cause Mr. Mc-
Caslin offered no opposition to the
divorce which she sought, and there
was a previous settlement, by which
she received $2,500 alimony. With
her daughter, she removed to apart-
ments in the city, while Mr. McCaslin
remained at the farm.
Three days after the divorce has
been granted Mr. McCaslin went to
Brown county, the home of Miss Mur-
phy, and returned with the girl as
his bride. The McCaslins are Presby-
terians, and it was incombent on the
church trustees to take some cognis-
ance of the rumours afloat. After a
full discussion the session, by a vote
of five to four, decided to suspend
Mr. McCaslin for six months, at the
expiration of which time he was in-
vited to bring his wife and be restored
to full fellowship.
Miss Ethel McCaslin is a director of
the church choir, one of the best in
the Snyod [sic] of Indiana. She met with
the choir last Sturaday night, and no-
tified its members that she could no
longer continue with the church unless
her father was expelled. He had be-
come loathsome to her because of his
conduct, and she could no longer meet
him, even as a communiicant, in the
same congregation. Thereupon she
gave notice that she would resign her
directorship. The choir was much sur-
prised, but after a full discussion, and
after speeches by M. B. Fisher and J.
M. Dunlop, two of its members, her po-
sition was sustained, and the choir
voted to discontinue its connection
with the church until the session had
considered its action. As a conse-
quence on Sunday morning the choir loft
was empty, and the pastor, Rev.
T. P. Marshall, was compelled to
lead the congregational singing. The
members of the choir occupied seats
in the congregation. Sunday night
the same scene was re-enacted.
Miss McCaslin attended services at
another church, and she has refused
to return until her father is expelled.
The matter is being very generally
discussed by the congregation, and the
preponderance of opinion sustains Miss
McCaslin and the choir in the stand
taken. A member of the choir re-
ports that the choir is conscientious
in the matter. If Mr. McCaslin was
guilty he should not be retained; if
innocent, he should not be suspended.
In case the session fails to consider,
there will probably be a split in the
congregation, as the majority of the
flock seem to side with the choir. Mr.
Marshall is said also to support the choir,
which is the strongest in the
city, with its membership composed of
the very best people in Franklin, to-
wit: Miss Ethel McCaslin, Miss Laura
McCaslin, Mrs. Anna McCaslin and
Miss Ruby Woollen, sopranos; Miss
Eda Hulsman and Mrs. Rell Mc-
Naughton, contraltos; Mess'rs Jeff
Bolser, Dale House, H. C. Voris, M.
B. Fisher and O. I. Demaree, tenors,
and J. M. Dunlop, Dr. F. C. Freeman,
Charles Kerlin and Fred Dunlap, bassos.
Daily Times
Columbus, Ind., Friday Morning
May 28, 1897, Front page
CASE OF H. G. McCASLIN
-----------------------------------
He Would Like to Know "Where
He Is At" Matrimonially.
Franklin, Ind., May 27.-- Hervey G.
McCaslin was a seriously disappointed
man when the suit of his wife, Mrs.
Esther McCaslin, for divorce, was dis-
missed on account of the aknowledged
residence of the plantiff in Brown coun-
ty. The suit was of a friendly order
and to secure legal sanction of a com-
promise which had already been ar-
ranged. McCaslin is a wealthy farmer
who got too sweet on Esther Murphy, a
domestic in his family and his wife ob-
tained a divorce. McCaslin later marry-
ing Miss Murphy and bringing her to
his home near this city.
McCaslin's daughter took her mother's
side, brought the matter before the
church, and McCaslin was suspended for
six months. This angered the daughter
so that she left the church because it
did not expell her father. Later McCas-
lin and his first wife became reconciled
and wife No. 2 consented to a separation
and went back to her home. She brought
a "friendly" suit for divorce, but when
the case was called it was discovered
that she had not been married long
enough to secure a residence in the
county.
The Columbus Daily Herald
Columbus, Ind. Wednesday Evening
Sept. 22, 1897
Guardian for Hervey McCaslin
FRANKLIN, Sept 21 -- The sanity case of
Hervey G. McCaslin, whose domestic
troubles were so sensationally brought
before the public last winter, was tried
before special Judge William Eldridge
in the circuit court tonight. A petition
for a guardian was made by his daugh-
ter, Miss Ethel McCaslin, and the aver-
ment of unsound mind was the basis of
the petition. McCaslin was in court
having been brought from the central
hospital for the insane, where he has
been confined since June. His daugh-
ter, his aunt, Mrs. Susan Wightman,
Drl C. F. Payne and James Stinnett
and wife, the latter his tenant, swore
to his insanity, and the defense offered no
witnesses. On the evidence the court
found for the petitioner. The guardian
will be named tomorrow morning.
Connersville Daily Examiner
Connersville, Ind.
Sept 22, 1897, page 4
McCaslin's Mind Gone.
FRANKLIN, Ind., Sept. 22.-- On the
Petition of Miss Ethel McCaslin, a
guardian for her father, Hervey G. Mc-
Caslin, was decided necessary by
Special Judge Eldridge Tuesday night.
The Petition alleged unsoundness of
mind. McCaslin is now confined in the
insane asylum at Indianapolis.
The Franklin Democrat, Friday, October 8, 1897,
Volume XXXVIII Number 13, page 1 column 3
LOCAL and PERSONAL.
The case of J. H. Tarlton, who was
appointed guardian of H. G. McCas-
lin two weeks ago, on alleged un-
soundness of mind which the pre-
ponderance of the evidence showed,
came up Saturday morning before
Special judge, H. O. Barnett, asking,
that the marriage contract with Mc-
Caslin's second wife be set aside
on the grounds as alleged. No oppo-
sition was made by the defendant,
and the marriage with Esther Mur-
phy was annulled. It is said $700
was allowed her out of the estate. It
will require the further process of the
court to declare McCaslin of sound
mind.
Hervey McCaslin and Esther Murphy had their marriage annulled on 8 Oct 1897. Hervey G McCaslin had remarried Eva M [Tarlton] McCaslin on 22 Sep 1897 due to confusion about a divorce requested by Esther Murphy McCaslin. The courts did not grant it so Hervey and Eva remarried again on 22 Feb 1898. Both marriages were performed in Marion County, Indiana. Both were described as widowed but no previous spouses' names were recorded.
The Franklin Democrat, Friday, November 12, 1897,
Volume XXXVIII Number 18, page 1 column 1
LOCAL and PERSONAL.
H. G. McCaslin and Mrs. Eva M.
McCaslin were re-married at Indi-
anapolis last week by Dr. Haines of
Indianapolis. Mr. McCaslin was dis-
missed from the hospital on the 3d
instant and before returning to
Franklin the nuptial knot had been
tied. They are now occupying the
old home, south of town.
The Franklin Democrat, Friday, February 11, 1898,
Volume XXXVIII Number 31, page 1 column 6
CIRCUIT COURT.
Judge Buckingham convened
the February term of the John-
son circuit court bright and early
Monday morning, and went to
work with a will to make a good
showing on the largest docket ever
placed before the court. The fol-
lowing cases have been disposed
of:
. . .
Matter of sanity of H G McCaslin.
Venued to K M Hord. Set for hear-
ing today.
In the 1900 US Federal Census for Franklin, Johnson, Indiana, 46-year-old farmer Hervey G (transcribed Henry) McCaslin and his 46-year-old wife Eva M Tarleton McCaslin are stil living at 156 State Street. They have been married for 26 years. He owns his farm.
In the 1910 US Federal Census for Franklin, Johnson, Indiana, 57-year-old Hervey McCaslin (transcribed Henry) has retired and is living on his "own income". He and his 56-year-old wife Eva, who have been married 36 years, are apparently living at a new address, 244 East Mo----- [street name is illegible]. Their only child, Ethel, is listed as still living.
Hervey's wife Marcia Evaline Tarlton McCaslin died in 1911. About a year later, on 4 Jun 1912, Hervey married Lola Montez Waggener Allen (widow of Thomas Allen) in Sommerville, Massachusetts.
In the 1920 US Federal Census for Needham, Johnson, Indiana, 66-year-old Indiana-born farmer Hervey G [transcribed Henry G] and his 57-year-old Indiana-born wife Lola [Waggoner Allen] McCaslin [transcribed McCarlin] are living on a farm on Greenburg Road, that Hervey owns, free of mortgage. Also in this household is a 16-year-old Indiana-born servant, Helen Henry who has attended school in the past year. Hervey is doing "General Farming". Everyone can read, write and speak English. Hervey's parents were born in Tennessee [sic, both were born in Indiana], Lola's father was born in Wisconsin and her mother in Indiana. Helen's parents were born in Indiana.
Hervey Gex McCaslin died in 28 Aug 1924 and was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Section Pine Row 1 Stone 19, Franklin, Johnson, Indiana (Find A Grave Memorial# 9526340)
Franklin Evening Star,
Thursday, August 28, 1924
Pages 1 & 4
PROMINENT FARMER IS
FOUND DEAD IN GARDEN
ABOUT NOON TODAY
_____________
Hervey McCaslin Victim
of Heart Trouble
71 Years of Age
_________
Hervey G. McCaslin one of the
most prominent citizen in Johnson
county was found dead in the garden
near his home about noon today.
Dinner had been prepared in the
McCaslin Home and Mrs. Willard
Bartlett, a step-daughter, stepped to
the door or the home to tell Mr. Mc-
Caslin to come to dinner. She saw
him lying in the potato patch where
he had gone to dig some potatoes.
On investigation she found he was
dead. It is believed that he had not
been dead long when found.
Mr. McCaslin was born in Novem-
ber 1853, and would have been sev-
enty-one years of age had he lived
two months longer. He spent prac-
tically all his life at his birthplace,
the farm on which the Indiana Ma-
sonic Home is now located.
In October, 1872, Mr. McCaslin
married Miss Eva Tarleton, who died
many years ago. Mrs. Ethel Bailey
of this city is the only surviving child.
A half-brother, George McCaslin of
Topeka, Kansas, is the only surviving
member of the immediate family.
Mr. McCaslin suffered a severe at-
tack of heart trouble late in the fall
of last year but since the recovery
from that attack, he was enjoying nor-
(Turn to Page Four.)
PROMINENT FARMER
___________
(Continued from Page One)
mal health. He appeared to be in the
best of condition when he left the
house this morning and his sudden
death came as a shock to the family
and community.
The funeral will be held at the
home Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock
with Rev. H. R. MacMillan, pastor of the
Franklin Baptist church, of which Mr.Mc-
Caslin was a member in charge.
It is the request ot the family that no
flowers be sent to the home.
Indiana State Board of Health, Certificate of Death 24913, Registered No. 67 records that Hervey G McCaslin died at his residence in Needham Township, Johnson, Indiana at about 11:45 a.m. on 28 Aug 1924 of angina pectoris of a few months duration, contributory cause chronic myocarditis. He was male, white married and a farmer, aged 70 years, 9 months and 9 days, born 19 Nov 1853 in Indiana to Harvey [sic] McCaslin and Sarah Price. The birthplace of both his parents is unknown. The informant was his wife, Lola A [Waggener] McCaslin of Franklin RR No. 6. Hervey was buried 30 Aug 1924 in Greenlawn, A. V. Vandivier & Son, Undertaker.